Adult Playday – Downtown San Francisco

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Continuing our series of summertime Adult Playdays (why should kids get to have all the fun?), this week we head to San Francisco. It’s fun to tour your own area – I keep finding places in San Francisco I’ve never been. Have you toured Salesforce Tower?

Rising 1070 ft above the street, Salesforce Tower (formerly Transbay Tower) is seven feet taller than the Eiffel Tower and 1,762 steps to the top. It’s the tallest building in SF, surpassing the 853 ft. Transamerica Pyramid in 2018. You used to be able to tour the 61st floor, but that looks less likely now. No matter, take the fun gondola daily up to Salesforce Park – a rooftop garden and San Francisco’s version of the Highline. Board at the Southwest corner of Mission and Fremont St. Beautiful foliage and skyline views greet you, plus a café with coffee, snacks, wine and beer. City Guides offers free guided tours once a month – see schedule to reserve.

For more adventure, Bart is nearby so leave your car at home.

On your way to dinner, stop over at the Museum of African Diaspora. One of the few institutions of its kind in the United States, see modern art exhibitions exclusively by African diaspora artists.

From there it’s another 8-minute walk to the perfect Adult Playday dinner spot – Dirty Habit.

Located South of Market on the rooftop of Hotel Zelos, lead bartender Steven Marshall uses 640+ whiskeys in extensive creations of taste, sight and smell. Seasonally inspired eats, a barrel aging program and exotic drinks fill the menu at this award-winning bar and restaurant. It was a surprising find, like a secret gem – out in the middle of no where.

I admit – I had The Dirty Affair ($22). My server smoked cherry wood chips into Savage and Cook Burning Chair DH Exclusive Bourbon, mixed with ginger turmeric syrup and bacon tobacco bitters. It was a taste smell orgy, quite dirty and lovely all at the same time. Isn’t that the best?

Not following my own advice, I drove, didn’t Bart. So we choose next drinks from Dirty Habit’s extensive non alcoholic selection. So delicious – zero proof cocktails are flourishing these days, We kept saying, “I’ve never tried anything like this before.” Again an added emphasis on smell that made the experience heightened. Did you know humans only “taste” sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami? Every other “taste,” like raspberry or chrysanthemum, is actually smell.

Golden Blossom Spritz: Mysterious Osmanthus-Chrysanthemum Tea Syrup, verjus, Melati Fresh Botanical, soda. Sultry surprise. ($12)

Citrus Fizz: ritual “rum,” lemon. egg white, soda ($12)

Dirty Habit is a sexy dining room with film noir flair. Added bonus – a cozy outside heated patio.

Make a meal of small plates or share entrées. The food was unexpectedly creative, tasty and while it’s expensive to eat anywhere these days, Dirty Habit offers real value and quality.